$280m solar farm to produce enough power for Coast

UPDATE: THE Fraser Coast could become the renewable energy capital in the next five years.

Construction on a $280 million renewable energy facility at Aramara, near Maryborough, will start early next year, while at least two more projects - one near Teebar and another at Susan River - are in the pipeline.

Eco Energy World (EEW) Australia, a developer of utility scale solar projects, received planning consent for the development of a 140MW solar farm which will cover an area of 800 acres.

The 500,000 solar panels will be installed on ground mounted frames that will slowly track the daily horizontal movement of the sun.

Reader poll

Is solar power worth the investment?

This poll ended on 06 October 2016.

Current Results

Yes - it's the energy of the future

59%

Yes, though we must look at other sources of energy

30%

No, solar power is not worth it

8%

I don't care how we get it, just keep the power on

1%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

THE PROJECT

Developer: Eco Energy World

What: Solar farm

Value: $280m

Size: 800 acres

Jobs: 150 in construction; six full-time and 11 part-time when operational

Output: 140MW, enough to power 55,000 average households.

EARLIER: CONSTRUCTION on a $280m renewable energy facility near Maryborough will start in early 2017.

Eco Energy World (EEW) Australia, a developer of utility scale solar projects, received planning consent for the development of a 140MW solar farm at Aramara.

The farm will cover an area of 800 acres and is comprised of more than 500,000 solar panels.

The solar panels will be installed on ground mounted frames that will slowly track the daily horizontal movement of the sun.

When operational, the solar farm will generate renewable energy to meet the annual power needs of approx. 55,000 average households.

Reader poll

Is solar power worth the investment?

This poll ended on 06 October 2016.

Current Results

Yes - it's the energy of the future

59%

Yes, though we must look at other sources of energy

30%

No, solar power is not worth it

8%

I don't care how we get it, just keep the power on

1%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

EEW Chairman Svante Kumlin said the company thanked the Fraser Coast Regional Council for their collaboration on the project.

"We are so pleased for the Aramara area and the Fraser Coast Region," Mr Kumlin said.

"This project will increase the utility solar generation by 140MW and will create new opportunities for the community including a large number of jobs and services."

The $280m project's construction is expected to start early 2017 and it will create up to 150 construction jobs.

When operational, the facility will employ up to six full-time and 11 part-time positions.

EEW Australia is developing a pipeline of 1GW over the next two years, and has already secured 440 MW of projects in various stages of planning.

"We have a unique proposition, where our projects are based on a merchant income model and therefore the projects are not delayed by PPAs," Mr Kuimlin said.

"We have been very successful in the UK market, and we know it began in the same way the Australian market is today".

EEW Australia is a subsidiary of the EEW Holdings.

The parent company has developed projects in the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Russia and Sweden.